The Bābur-nāma in English (Memoirs of Bābur)
their possessions; also, to write a detailed account of whatever news
there was from Badakhshān and to send a man off with it quickly from
Kābul to me.
That night we moved on till the second watch (midnight), got a little
beyond Sulṯānpūr, there slept awhile, then rode on again. The
Khiẓr-khail were understood to have their seat from Bahār (Vihāra?) and
Mīch-grām to Karā-sū (_sic_). Arriving before dawn, (_Oct. 4th_) the
raid was allowed. Most of the goods of the Khiẓr-khailīs and their small
children fell into the army's hands; a few tribesmen, being near the
mountains, drew off to [Sidenote: Fol. 245.] them and were left.
(_Oct. 5th_) We dismounted next day at Qīlaghū where pheasants were
taken on our ground. Today the baggage came up from the rear and was
unloaded here. Owing to this punitive raid, the Wazīrī Afghāns who never
had given in their tribute well, brought 300 sheep.
(_Oct. 9th_) I had written nothing since my hand was dislocated; here I
wrote a little, on Sunday the 14th of the month.[1506]
(_Oct. 10th_) Next day came Afghān chiefs leading the Khirilchī [and]
Samū-khail. The Dilazāk Afghāns entreated pardon for them; we gave it
and set the captured free, fixed their tribute at 4000 sheep, gave coats
(_tūn_) to their chiefs, appointed and sent out collectors.
(_Oct. 13th_) These matters settled, we marched on Thursday the 18th,
and dismounted at Bahār (Vihāra?) and Mīch-grām.
(_Oct. 14th_) Next day I went to the Bāgh-i-wafā. Those were the days of
the garden's beauty; its lawns were one sheet of trefoil; its
pomegranate-trees yellowed to autumn splendour,[1507] their fruit full
red; fruit on the orange-trees green and glad (_khurram_), countless
oranges but not yet as yellow as our hearts desired! The pomegranates
were excellent, not equal, however, to the best ones of Wilāyat.[1508]
The one excellent and blessed content we have had from the Bāgh-i-wafā
was had at this time. [Sidenote: Fol. 245b.] We were there three or four
days; during the time the whole camp had pomegranates in abundance.
(_Oct. 17th_) We marched from the garden on Monday. I stayed in it till
the first watch (9 a.m.) and gave away oranges; I bestowed the fruit of
two trees on Shāh Ḥasan; to several begs I gave the fruit of one tree
each; to some gave one tree for two persons. As we were thinking of
visiting Lamghān in the winter, I ordered that they should reserve
(_qūrūghlāīlār_) at least 20 of the trees growing round the reservoir.
That day we dismounted at Gandamak.
(_Oct. 18th_) Next day we dismounted at Jagdālīk. Near the Evening
Prayer there was a wine-party at which most of the household were
present. After a time Qāsim Beg's sister's son Gadāī _bihjat_[1509] used
very disturbing words and, being drunk, slid down on the cushion by my
side, so Gadāī T̤aghāī picked him up and carried him out from the party.
(_Oct. 19th_) Marching next day from that ground, I made an excursion up
the valley-bottom of the Bārīk-āb towards Qūrūq-sāī. A few purslain
trees were in the utmost autumn beauty. On dismounting, seasonable[1510]
food was set out. The vintage was the cause! wine was drunk! A sheep
was ordered brought from the road and made into _kabābs_ (_brochettes_).
We amused ourselves by setting fire to branches of holm-oak.[1511]
Mullā `Abdu'l-malik _dīwāna_[1512] having begged to take the news of our
coming into Kābul, was sent ahead. To this place came Ḥasan Nabīra from
Mīrzā Khān's presence; he must have come after letting me know [his
intention of coming].[1513] There was [Sidenote: Fol. 246.] drinking
till the Sun's decline; we then rode off. People in our party had become
very drunk, Sayyid Qāsim so much so, that two of his servants mounted
him and got him into camp with difficulty. Muḥ. Bāqir's Dost was so
drunk that people, headed by Amīn-i-muḥammad Tarkhān and Mastī _chuhra_,
could not get him on his horse; even when they poured water on his head,
nothing was effected. At that moment a body of Afghāns appeared.
Amīn-i-muḥammad, who had had enough himself, had this idea, "Rather than
leave him here, as he is, to be taken, let us cut his head off and carry
it with us." At last after 100 efforts, they mounted him and brought him
with them. We reached Kābul at midnight.
(_ff. Incidents in Kābul._)
In Court next morning Qulī Beg waited on me. He had been to Sl. Sa'īd
Khān's presence in Kāshghar as my envoy. To him as envoy to me had been
added Bīshka Mīrzā _Itārchī_[1514] who brought me gifts of the goods of
that country.
(_Oct. 25th_) On Wednesday the 1st of Ẕū'l-qa`da, I went by myself to
Qābil's tomb[1515] and there took my morning. The people of the party
came later by ones and twos. When the Sun waxed hot, we went to the
Violet-garden and drank there, by the side of the reservoir. Mid-day
coming on, we slept. At the Mid-day Prayer we drank again. At this
mid-day party I gave wine to Tīngrī-qulī Beg and to Mahndī (?) to whom
at any earlier party, wine had not been given. At the Bed-time
[Sidenote: Fol. 246b.] Prayer, I went to the Hot-bath where I stayed the
night.
(_Oct. 26th_) On Thursday honorary dresses were bestowed on the
Hindūstānī traders, headed by Yaḥya _Nūḥānī_, and they were allowed to
go.
(_Oct. 28th_) On Saturday the 4th, a dress and gifts were bestowed on
Bīshka Mīrzā, who had come from Kāshghar, and he was given leave to go.
(_Oct. 29th_) On Sunday there was a party in the little Picture-hall
over the (Chār-bāgh) gate; small retreat though it is, 16 persons were
present.
(_gg. Excursion to the Koh-dāman._)
(_Oct. 30th_) Today we went to Istālīf to see the harvest (_khizān_).
Today was done the sin (? _irtikāb qīlīb aīdī_) of _ma'jūn_. Much rain
fell; most of the begs and the household came into my tent, outside the
Bāgh-i-kalān.
(_Oct. 31st_) Next day there was a wine-party in the same garden,
lasting till night.
(_November 1st_) At dawn we took our morning (_ṣubāḥī ṣubūḥī qīldūk_)
and got drunk, took a sleep, and at the Mid-day Prayer rode from
Istālīf. On the road a confection was eaten. We reached Bih-zādī at the
Other Prayer. The harvest-crops were very beautiful; while we were
viewing them those disposed for wine began to agitate about it. The
harvest-colour was extremely beautiful; wine was drunk, though _ma'jūn_
had been eaten, sitting under autumnal trees. The party lasted till the
Bed-time Prayer. Khalīfa's Mullā Maḥmūd arriving, we had him summoned to
join the party. `Abdu'l-lāh was very drunk [Sidenote: Fol. 247.] indeed;
a word affecting Khalīfa (_ṯarfidīn_) being said, `Abdu'l-lāh forgot
Mullā Maḥmūd and recited this line:—
Regard whom thou wilt, he suffers from the same wound.[1516]
Mullā Maḥmūd was sober; he blamed `Abdu'l-lāh for repeating that line in
jest; `Abdu'l-lāh came to his senses, was troubled in mind, and after
this talked and chatted very sweetly.
Our excursion to view the harvest was over; we dismounted, close to the
Evening Prayer, in the Chār-bāgh.
(_Nov. 12th_) On Friday the 16th, after eating a confection
with a few special people in the Violet-garden, we went on a boat.
Humāyūn and Kāmrān were with us later; Humāyūn made a very good shot at
a duck.
(_hh. A Bohemian episode._)
(_Nov. 14th_) On Saturday the 18th, I rode out of the Chār-bāgh at
midnight, sent night-watch and groom back, crossed Mullā Bābā's bridge,
got out by the Dīūrīn-narrows, round by the bāzārs and _kārez_ of
Qūsh-nādur (var.), along the back of the Bear-house (_khirs-khāna_), and
near sunrise reached Tardī Beg _Khāk-sār's[1517] kārez_. He ran out
quickly on hearing of me. His shortness (_qālāshlīghī_) was known; I had
taken 100 _shāhrukhīs_ (£5) with me; I gave him these and told him to
get wine and other things ready as I had a fancy for a private and
unrestrained party. He went for wine towards Bih-zādī[1518]; I sent my
horse by his slave to the valley-bottom and sat down on the slope behind
the _kārez_. At the first watch (9 a.m.) Tardī Beg brought [Sidenote:
Fol. 247b.] a pitcher of wine which we drank by turns. After him came
Muḥammad-i-qāsim _Barlās_ and Shāh-zāda who had got to know of his
fetching the wine, and had followed him, their minds quite empty of any
thought about me. We invited them to the party. Said Tardī Beg, "Hul-hul
Anīga wishes to drink wine with you." Said I, "For my part, I never saw
a woman drink wine; invite her." We also invited Shāhī a qalandar, and
one of the _kārez_-men who played the rebeck. There was drinking till
the Evening Prayer on the rising-ground behind the _kārez_; we then went
into Tardī Beg's house and drank by lamp-light almost till the Bed-time
Prayer. The party was quite free and unpretending. I lay down, the
others went to another house and drank there till beat of drum
(midnight). Hul-hul Anīga came in and made me much disturbance; I got
rid of her at last by flinging myself down as if drunk. It was in my
mind to put people off their guard, and ride off alone to Astar-ghach,
but it did not come off because they got to know. In the end, I rode
away at beat of drum, after letting Tardī Beg and Shāh-zāda know. We
three mounted and made for Astar-ghach.
(_Nov. 15th_) We reached Khwāja Ḥasan below Istālīf by the first prayer
(_farẓ waqt_); dismounted for a while, ate a confection, [Sidenote: Fol.
248.] and went to view the harvest. When the Sun was up, we dismounted
at a garden in Istālīf and ate grapes. We slept at Khwāja Shahāb, a
dependency of Astar-ghach. Ātā, the Master of the Horse, must have had a
house somewhere near, for before we were awake he had brought food and a
pitcher of wine. The vintage was very fine. After drinking a few cups,
we rode on. We next dismounted in a garden beautiful with autumn; there
a party was held at which Khwāja Muḥammad Amīn joined us. Drinking went
on till the Bed-time Prayer. During that day and night `Abdu'l-lāh,
`Asas, Nūr Beg and Yūsuf-i-`alī all arrived from Kābul.
(_Nov. 16th_) After food at dawn, we rode out and visited the
Bāgh-i-pādshāhī below Astar-ghach. One young apple-tree in it had turned
an admirable autumn-colour; on each branch were left 5 or 6 leaves in
regular array; it was such that no painter trying to depict it could
have equalled. After riding from Astar-ghach we ate at Khwāja Ḥasan, and
reached Bih-zādī at the Evening Prayer. There we drank in the house of
Khwāja Muḥ. Amīn's servant Imām-i-muḥammad.
(_Nov. 17th_) Next day, Tuesday, we went into the Chār-bāgh of Kābul.
(_Nov. 18th_) On Thursday the 23rd, having marched (_kūchūb_), the fort
was entered.
(_Nov. 19th_) On Friday Muḥammad `Alī (son of ?) Ḥaidar the
stirrup-holder brought, as an offering, a _tūīgūn_[1519] he had caught.
(_Nov. 20th_) On Saturday the 25th, there was a party in the Plane-tree
garden from which I rose and mounted at the Bed-time Prayer. Sayyid
Qāsim being in shame at past occurrences,[1520] we dismounted at his
house and drank a few cups.
[Sidenote: Fol. 248b.] (_Nov. 24th_) On Thursday the 1st of Ẕū'l-ḥijja,
Tāju'd-dīn Maḥmūd, come from Qandahār, waited on me.
(_Dec. 12th_) On Monday the 19th, Muḥ. `Alī _Jang-jang_ came from
Nīl-āb.
(_Dec. 13th_) On Tuesday the ... of the month, Sangar Khān _Janjūha_,
come from Bhīra, waited on me.
(_Dec. 16th_) On Friday the 23rd, I finished (copying?) the odes and
couplets selected according to their measure from `Alī-sher Beg's four
Dīwāns.[1521]
(_Dec. 20th_) On Tuesday the 27th there was a social-gathering in the
citadel, at which it was ordered that if any-one went out from it drunk,
that person should not be invited to a party again.
(_Dec. 23rd_) On Friday the 30th of Ẕū'l-ḥijja it was ridden out with
the intention of making an excursion to Lamghān.
926 AH.-DEC. 23RD 1519 TO DEC. 12TH 1520 AD.[1522]
(_a. Excursion to the Koh-dāman and Kohistān._)